A brief history of my journey

Goal: Plot my journey into feminist theory for the sake of reflection and memory.

My partner is a Women's Studies major, and it is probably safe to say that my interests in these realms is largely due to her education rubbing off on me. Of course, she began pointing out gender inequalities, etc. a long time ago. What can I say? I'm often too optimistic/naive to "get it" the first time around. But then I started applying to graduate school for teaching. I was asked to write an essay about a realm of my subject area (language arts) that I would like to focus on in the classroom; something that is of 'current interest' to myself and society at large that maybe is not addressed as would be appropriate. I composed an essay on the need to address gender/sex in literature: the authors and the characters, in addition to an emphasis on the societal/psychological/political contexts in which the literature takes place and in which the literature is read.

After delivering my application, I realized that I should actually put my words into action. I began reading Marilyn Frye's essays in feminist theory (check it out on Amazon here). Okay, I'm not done with it yet, but I am loving what I have read! Also, I started following the websites Feministing and Sociological Images to keep up on the current issues. [[Insert aforementioned haircut here]] Sifting through the internet's resources on feminist theory and current issues in gender/sexuality/equality is tiring work!

I should also mention that I work in the after-school program at a middle school. This is where I get a lot of material. Step into a middle school and you step into a world of burgeoning gender norms, roles, expectations, and inequalities (more to come on this later).

Okay, where am I now? I'm keeping up with the sites, slowly working through Frye, and generally feeling much more sensitive (tuned into?) these topics in my everyday life. And now comes the next step: formulating my thoughts into coherent words so that I can address misogyny, inequality, and homophobia when I see it. And figuring out if I have anything original to add to the amazing work of other scholars and/or feminists out there. I'll have to get back to you on that last one.

Beauty Burdens

In line with my new-found love of feminism, I went to a salon and chopped off my hair! Cliché? A little. Freeing? YES! I've explained the drastic change to others as a rejection of the burdens that society puts on women in order for women to be beautiful. To which one co-worked replied "you're about sixty years too late!" This is true, but now I am also able to dance and lie on the floor without a ponytail getting in the way!

But this got me thinking about all the ways in which women are burdened in order to be beautiful (should any woman choose to conform to the US concept of beauty). I began a list:

1. Long hair, as mentioned above. Which takes more shampoo, more products, more time, can be grabbed (for fun and not for fun), and can get stuck in doors/jackets/fingers.
2. Long nails. How do long nails help women? And then we are expected to paint their nails, which always leads to annoying chips.
3. High heels. Yes, we become taller, but then we walk slower, sink into the grass, turn our ankles, and injure our shins.
4. Dangly earrings. While I often wear these, I worry about them catching in a foreign object and tearing my earlobe.
5. Dresses and skirts. All right, this one has both pros and cons. We can go to the bathroom easily, and stay cool in the summer. However, we are cold in the winter and must watch out so that we do not show off our panties.
6. Thongs. Duh.
7. Giant diamond rings. As someone who has recently become engaged, I'm hesitant to go for the big rock. Besides the controversy over diamonds and the cost, I just know that I would scratch myself on the face and probably dent furniture with it.

This is non-comprehensive. I'm open to more ideas.

In the vein of inclusion, I have also started compiling a list of ways in which men are burdened to be "handsome":

1. Neck ties. I imagine that these can get stuck, pulled, and dropped in food.

This is also probably non-comprehensive. Let me know if you think of anything. But why are the "beauty norms" of today's women disproportionately lacking in function and logic? Who solidified these norms? Where do we draw the line between fashion and function?

Introduction

Welcome to Rae's Ruminations!

I recently became interested in feminist theory and the sociology of gender. I feel a little late in my new obsession (read: 22 years old), but I've reminded myself that some people take much longer to come upon these topics. Therefore, I push along my internet, and occasionally book, self-directed education on the topic. I am particularly interested in third-wave feminism, the promotion of gender norms in the media and society at large, and the connections we can make to the public school system.

After some time of reading, thinking, and discussing, I come to another part of the learning cycle: writing. I intend to use this blog to formulate my learning into written form. One of my main goals in educating myself on these issues is to be capable of speaking out to those who trample on the ideals of equality, feminism, and acceptance. Perhaps this is my 'practice ring' for addressing these issues in real-life-encounters. In addition, I will soon enter a Master of Arts in Teaching program for middle/high school language arts, and I hope to learn how to bring these egalitarian views into the classroom.

And then she went to work...